Jerusalem, 20 August, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Israeli military is preparing a major offensive against Hamas in Gaza City, involving five divisions and tens of thousands of troops, the Israel Defense Forces said. The forces include 12 brigade-level teams, each with infantry, armored units, artillery, combat engineers, and support elements. In addition, the Gaza Division’s northern and southern brigades, normally assigned to the border, will join, bringing the total number of brigade-level teams to 14.
The operation, called “Gideon’s Chariots B,” is already entering its preparatory phase, with IDF units advancing on Gaza City’s outskirts. The Nahal Infantry Brigade and the 7th Armored Brigade have been active in the Zeitoun neighborhood, while the Givati Infantry Brigade launched a push in Kafr Jabalia in the city’s north.
At the same time, the military is establishing humanitarian infrastructure in southern Gaza for an estimated one million civilians expected to be displaced. Field hospitals and additional aid distribution points are planned, and the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, closed after the IDF discovered a Hamas tunnel beneath it, is expected to reopen.
“As part of the preparations to move the population from Gaza City to the southern Gaza Strip, talks have begun with international organizations to recruit them to establish additional field hospitals in the south, and there is a positive response to this,” a security official said. “There are also plans to expand the existing medical infrastructure in the south in cooperation with the organizations, and, in addition, options are being examined to open access routes to additional medical facilities.”
“The UN and the organizations have begun formulating a plan to restart the European Hospital as an additional medical response,” the official added.
The offensive will unfold in stages. First, civilians will receive evacuation warnings. Then the IDF will encircle Gaza City before advancing into areas previously uncleared of Hamas infrastructure. Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the plan on Tuesday, and it is scheduled for presentation to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Cabinet on Thursday.
To support the campaign, Israel is mobilizing 60,000 reservists in several waves, with the first 40,000–50,000 expected to report on September 2. A second wave is planned for late 2025, and a third for early 2026. Regular soldiers’ service will be extended by 30 to 40 days to meet operational needs. At the peak of the operation, the military anticipates up to 130,000 reserve soldiers on active duty across Gaza, Judea and Samaria, and northern Israel.
The IDF reiterated that the offensive’s political objective is to defeat Hamas. “Two out of five brigades of Hamas’ military wing remain,” an IDF source said. “The Chief of Staff believes in the need to defeat Hamas,” though the military did not define the criteria for this goal.
Civilian preparations are already underway through the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which is coordinating hospital readiness and field hospital construction in southern Gaza. International organizations will help operate facilities in areas including the Central and Mawasi refugee camps, where displaced Gaza City residents are expected to relocate.
“This is an evolving plan,” the army said, “and preparations on the outskirts of Gaza City are ongoing as part of a larger effort to expand operations deeper into the city while minimizing civilian casualties.”
Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 50 remaining hostages, around 30 are believed to be dead.
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